Storytelling Nonprofit The Moth to Honor Aziz Ansari at 20th Anniversary 'Moth Ball' This June

Beloved storytelling nonprofit The Moth today announced details for their annual fundraising gala, The Moth Ball.

Taking place at Capitale (130 Bowery, NYC) on Tuesday, June 6 -- 20 years to the day of very first Moth storytelling show -- A Moth Summer Night's Dream: The 20th Anniversary Moth Ball will honor the talented actor, writer, and comedian, Aziz Ansari.

Nearly 500 guests including Moth storytellers and luminaries from the worlds of art, finance, fashion, media and philanthropy will join event co-chairs Mia Jung and Joanne Ramos for this enchanted evening of storytelling and surprises.

"It's truly exciting for us to honor Aziz Ansari -master storyteller, hilarious and talented actor, and championship of diversity in the arts, at this year's Moth Ball- at the official 20th anniversary of The Moth's very first show," says Sarah Haberman, Executive Director, The Moth.

With this accolade, Ansari joins an exclusive list of noted Moth Ball honorees including Carrie Brownstein (2016), Louis C.K. (2015), Zadie Smith (2014), AlBert Maysles (2013), Martin Scorsese (2012), Spalding Gray (2011 - posthumously), Calvin Trillin (2010), Anna Deavere Smith (2009), Salman Rushdie (2008) and Garrison Keillor (2007).

Proceeds from the gala will support over 550 live storytelling shows in 2017 the U.S and abroad, as well as The Moth's community and education programs serving thousands of students, teachers and adults with stories to tell, plus The Moth Radio Hour which airs on 450+ public radio stations across the country and its free podcast, which is downloaded more than 44 million times a year.

A Moth Summer Night's Dream: The 20th Anniversary Moth Ball tickets start at $500 for individuals and $10,000 for tables. They are available by contacting 646.762.2618 or mothball@themoth.org.

Aziz Ansari is a writer, director, actor, and comedian. He currently stars in, writes, and directs MASTER OF NONE, a Netflix original comedy series that he co-created with Alan Yang (PARKS AND RECREATION). In its first season, the show was hailed as "the year's best comedy" by THE NEW YORK TIMES. It will premiere its second season on May 12, 2017.

MASTER OF NONE won the 2015 Peabody Award and the 2016 Critics' Choice Award for "Best Comedy Series" and was named one of AFI's TV Programs of the Year. Aziz himself won the 2016 Emmy Award for "Outstanding Writing for a Comedy Series" and received three additional nominations in other major Emmy Award categories. As well, that year, he also garnered both a Golden Globe and Critics Choice nominations for Best Actor in a Comedy (TV) Series.

In 2015, Aziz released THE NEW YORK TIMES best-selling MODERN ROMANCE, a book that focuses on modern dating and how the basic issues facing a single person-whom we meet, how we meet them, and what happens next-have been radically altered by new technologies. That same year, Aziz became one of the only headlining comedians ever to sell out Madison Square Garden in New York. His two sold-out performances at the legendary arena were filmed for his fourth comedy special, Aziz Ansari: LIVE AT Madison Square Garden (Netflix, 2015).

On TV, Aziz co-starred in the Emmy nominated NBC series PARKS AND RECREATION for the show's entire seven season run. On the big screen, Aziz has appeared in THIS IS THE END, FUNNY PEOPLE, 30 MINUTES OR LESS, GET HIM TO THE GREEK, I LOVE YOU, MAN, and OBSERVE AND REPORT.

In addition to his work as a writer and performer, Aziz has lent his voice to animated projects in both film and television, BOB'S BURGERS and ICE AGE: CONTINENTAL DRIFT (Twentieth Century Fox).

The Moth-hailed as "New York's hottest and hippest literary ticket" by Biz Bash -is an acclaimed nonprofit organization dedicated to the art and craft of storytelling. Since launching in 1997, The Moth has presented over 20,000 stories, told live and without notes to standing­room­only crowds worldwide. The Moth conducts seven ongoing programs: The Moth Mainstage, which tours internationally, has featured stories by Malcolm Gladwell, Ethan Hawke, Margaret Cho, and an astronaut, a pickpocket, a hot­dog eating champion and hundreds more; The Moth StorySLAM program, which conducts open mic storytelling competitions in 28 cities; 24 in the US plus Sydney and Melbourne, AU, London, UK and Dublin, IE; The Moth Community Program, which offers storytelling workshops and performance opportunities to adults who are too often overlooked by the mainstream media; The Moth High School StorySLAMs, which bring the thrill of personal storytelling to high schools across the country; The Moth Podcast, which is downloaded more than 44 million times a year; The Moth Corporate Program, which provides industry specific storytelling solutions; and The Peabody Award-winning The Moth Radio Hour which airs weekly on 450+ public radio stations nationwide. The Moth's second book The Moth Presents All These Wonders: True Stories About Facing The Unknown" was released in March 2017. Learn more at www.themoth.org.